Even in the US, such as in my town in Massachusetts, tap water--though safe to drink due to chlorination--is quite disgusting due to high levels of minerals from well water. First world problems right?

Well, that's subjective. When I was in Canada, the local water supply contained a lot of minerals. Some of the locals disliked the taste for that reason, but I positively enjoyed it. Certainly not in the same category as microbial contamination.